How to Select Hair Products based on Hair Porosity

If you are coming from my previous blog post where I wrote on hair porosity and how to find your hair's porosity, I'm guessing you have done the porosity test on your hair already. If you haven't, click here to read and do the test before you continue reading.

Low Porosity Hair

Low porosity hair has a tight cuticle layer with overlaying flat scales. It resists moisture while trying to wet it, as well as repels penetration from chemicals. It is easier to trap dirt and heavy oils in (because of its inability to get the moisture out or dry out quickly). Also, protein-rich products and deep conditioners can cause heavy build-up, leaving the hair frizzy and stiff. Products for this porosity type are daily conditioners with humectants (example honey), protein-free deep conditioning treatments (or deep conditioning treatment with less protein). Low porosity hair moisturizers should be rich in emollients such as shea butter, coconut oil, as well as light oils such as avocado oil, jojoba oils, grapeseed oil, mineral oils, almond oil.

While deep conditioning the hair, apply heat by covering the hair with a plastic bag (what Nigerians call nylon) or shower cap. The heat helps to lock in moisture, as well as the deep conditioner, making the deep conditioning effective.

Humectants attract and hold moisture in the hair, emollients make the hair soft and easy to detangle, while light oils reduced oil build-up caused by heavy oils. Oil build-ups are not bad as they trap and lock moisture in the hair. Its negative effect comes when they begin to block the hair pores preventing moisture from leaving, air from circulating through your hair shaft, and general blood flow in the hair.

Medium/Normal Porosity Hair

Medium porosity offers less resistance to moisture and often requires less amount of maintenance. It has a looser cuticle layer, allowing the required amount of moisture to sit in while preventing the escape of excess moisture. Medium porosity hair holds in braid styles and can be permed or dyed without negative effects on the hair. Continuous usage can however damage the hair and increase its porosity.

People with medium porosity hair have a large range of products to work with, hence little or no specificity. Protein-rich deep conditioners can be used, as well as heavy oils. However, daily conditioners should not include protein as too much protein on the hair can make the hair frizzy.

High Porosity Hair

High porosity hair has hols and gasps in its cuticle, hence offers no resistance to the entrance of moisture. High porosity can either be an innate property of the hair naturally or as a result of damage from chemicals, rough treatment, or environmental damage. Its permeability to moisture makes it prone to frizz and tangling in humid conditions. Products for this porosity type should have heavier consistencies like hair butter, heavy creams, heavy oils. Also, protein-rich treatment and deep conditioning should be used, as well as hair restorative masks to help your hair shaft retain moisture better.

It is also important to use leave-in conditioners, moisturizers, and sealants. Layering of products is one major hack to lock the moisture in, followed by heavy hair butter to fill the gaps in your damaged or highly porous cuticles.

Low Porosity Hair Products

1. Shea Moisture Baobab & Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity Free Leave-In Detangler

2. TGIN Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer

3. Lotta Body Coconut & Shea Oils (Moisturize Me Curl & Style Milk

4. Avacado & Rose Oil Clump & Define Cream

5. Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask

6. Camille Rose Curl Love Moisture Milk

7. Design Essentials Oat Protein & Deep Protein Shampoo

8. Klorane Detox Shampoo With Aquatic Mint

9. Rene Furterer Solaire Moisturizing Spray

10. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Conditioner

High Porosity Hair Products

1. High Porosity Moisture Seal Masque

2. As I Am DoubleButter Cream

3. Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor

4. Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment.

5. Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator.

6. As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner.

7. Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo.

8. Curl Junkie Beauticurls Leave-in Hair Conditioner.

9. SheaMoisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oils High Porosity Moisture-Seal Masque

Heavy oils are oils with high density and cannot flow well under normal conditions, example Castor Oils, while light oils are oils with low density and can flow easily example almond oil, avocado oils. I will be elaborating more on the products to use for the specific hair types, as well as organics for hair masks suitable for each hair type in my next hair growth blog post.